OUR WARRIORS

Providing Endless Love and Ongoing Support

To Help Our Courageous Little Warriors

The Paxton Andrews Foundation works closely with families fighting childhood cancer to lighten their load and mitigate the unimaginable stress associated with childhood cancer. The needs of each family are as unique as each child’s cancer and treatment. We collaborate with families to develop and implement customized support. Our goal is to ease the endless burdens associated with childhood cancer and allow parents to focus their energy where it is most important: on their child and the overall family unit.

Our Warriors

In July of 2016, following a family vacation, Bowen started complaining about leg pain. He also showed a loss of appetite and was spiking fevers randomly throughout the day. After a visit to the emergency room, just weeks after his 3rd birthday, Bowen was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

Ms. Katie is a 16-year-old Junior at Cudahy High School. She has been playing volleyball since 4th grade and danced since first grade. She previously was a member of the varsity Powerlifting Team. In October 2017, Katie noticed a lump on her left neck. She went to see her pediatrician on a Wednesday who scheduled an ultra sound at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin on Thursday. As the ultrasound was inconclusive, a CT scan was ordered for the next week. The CT scan confirmed the diagnoses of Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

On January 8, 2016 Jaleel was diagnosed with T-cell Leukemia. His doctors set forth with a plan for him to begin a regimen of high dose chemotherapy followed by maintenance chemotherapy. Jeleel completed his high dose chemotherapy and tolerated it like any warrior would … with determination and an inner fight that supersedes all others. He is now starting his maintenance chemotherapy, which will continue for several months.

We are honored to introduce you to a special young lady named Keegan. Keegan was diagnosed with Acute Lymphomic Leukemia (ALL) in 2013, when she was seven years old. As is the case with most children diagnosed with leukemia, her treatment regimen is long and difficult. Keegan has endured more chemo, shots, procedures and tests than most people ten times her age. She has done so with a brave heart and the support of her big loving family. PAX is proud to make that big loving family a bit bigger as our Army of Love joins her in her fight.

We are pleased to introduce you to a special little warrior princess with a flair for fashion. Micaela was diagnosed with an Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT) in February of 2015. It was an unimaginable diagnosis for her parents. Micaela, just four years old at the time, put on her warrior gear to prepare for a lengthy fight filled with scans, surgeries, tests, radiation, and frequent hospital stays. As her mom says, she is an amazing and brave young girl. We love her spunk…and her flair for fashion!

When Yair was five years old, in December of 2012, he was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). He received four months of chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant in May of 2013. Unfortunately, since his original course of treatment, the leukemia has relapsed twice. Yair began receiving chemotherapy again in October of 2014, resulting in lengthy stays in the hospital. We are honored to help Yair and his family. He is a courageous young man… a superhero in his own right.

In October of 2014, when Leslie was just two years old, she was diagnosed with an Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid brain tumor. While doctors were able to successfully remove the tumor, little Leslie has a long road ahead. Her treatment involves a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. The side effects of the treatment will require her to be hospitalized for the majority of the next year. PAX is honored to call this special little lady our beloved warrior.

In July of 2014, when Silas was just 8 months old, he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumor. After months of treatment away from home, the family received the devastating news that despite the grueling treatment, Silas’ tumor had increased in size by 25%. Silas and his family returned to Wisconsin where he is carrying on his fight with the support of his beloved family, and now, the PAX Army of Love. Read Silas’s blog posts for updates on his brave fight!

With heavy hearts, we are so very sad to tell you all that sweet little Bradan Hermes passed away April 14th in the comfort of his mom, dad, and baby sister’s embrace. Our thoughts and hearts are with the Hermes family.

We first met Miss Dafne just before Christmas. This spunky 9-year-old girl is undergoing grueling treatment to fight the cancer in her abdomen. Dafne’s mom, Maria, shared with us that Dafne consoles other kids in the unit whenever they’re scared (especially before a surgery) by telling them that she has angel named Paxton, and that he will watch over them too. So many kids in the unit talk about their angel, Paxton. We were told that there are parents that have said that they silently ask him to watch over their children while they wait for surgery to finish.

Andrew is a 15-year-old high school freshman at Brookfield Central. On May 22, 2010, Andrew was admitted to Elmbrook Memorial Hospital after suffering a debilitating headache. Initial tests showed a large mass at the base of his brain. He had surgery and chemo and was in remission. Andrew had his last chemo treatment on Feb. 7, 2011. He had 9 clear MRI scans since. On August 28,2013, he had another MRI. The oncologist saw a tumor back at the original site at the base of his neck and top of spine. It was reoccurring medullablastoma.

It is with both tremendous honor and great sadness that we introduce you to our beautiful warrior, Missy. We adopted Missy and her family just days before she ended her courageous four-year fight with cancer.

In 2009, shortly after her 9th birthday, Kathryn was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) – High Risk. After nearly three years of grueling treatment, Kathryn proudly rang the bell at the MACC Clinic: officially marking the end of her treatment. While Kathryn’s treatment caused her to miss a majority of 3rd and 4th grade, as well as a good amount of 5th grade, her dedicated tutor kept her on track with academics. Kathryn’s hard work paid off. During the first quarter of 7th grade, Kathryn made the honor roll.

Mabel was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma (form of childhood cancer) June of 2013. She has gone through six total treatments of chemotherapy. Four treatments were done before the doctors and her parents agreed the best course of treatment would be to resect as much of the tumor as possible. The initial thought was they would be able to remove 70-80% through a 12-14 hour operation of the tumor but a true miracle occurred and they were able to completely remove the tumor! Yes, you are reading this correctly; they removed 100% of the tumor!